Remember Me
by Mouse95
Summary: An old friend drops in to tell Joe goodbye and brings up old memories that Joe thought were buried forever. One shot


**This is my first attempt at a Hardy boys fic so please be kind and don't forget to review.**

1999

Eight year old Joe Hardy and Noah Lashly were building a sand fort on the sandy shore of the Bayport lake. Noah was standing in the moat he and Joe had built. Joe had gone back down to the lake to get some more water for the moat when he heard a loud crash and the screaming started. Joe dropped the bucket and spun around to see a car had crashed into the electoral pole and knocked one of the wires down. The fallen wire had fallen into the water filled moat were Noah was standing. Joe watched in horror as Noah's body convulsed as the electricity coursed through it. Joe could see his parents physically restraining Noah's parents as they screamed their sons name over and over. Joe heard his dad yell for Frank to find a long stick. Joe stood frozen as the smell of burnt flesh wafted down to him on the breeze. Joe watched as Fenton used the fallen tree branch Frank had brought him to remove wire from the water where Noah was lying. As Fenton began CPR on the small unconscious form Joe crept closer to watch. While he was standing terrified watching as his dad tried to breathe life into his friend Joe felt a wrap around his shoulder and pull him close. Joe turned his head and saw Frank standing beside him and gratefully leaned into his embrace.

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Nine Years Later

"Joe," Laura Hardy called, as her sons walked through the door.

"Guess who called me today," Laura said, smiling.

"Someone you were glad to hear from," Joe guessed.

"Linda Lashly," Laura said.

"'Who's that?" Joe asked, walking into the kitchen to get a soda.

"You remember Noah don't you?" Frank asked, following behind Joe.

The image of a smiling eight year old with dark blond hair and green eyes flashed before Joes' eyes. Then came the sound of a crash and the smell of burned flesh.

Frank grabbed Joe's elbow as he swayed slightly.

"Are you alright?" Frank asked, concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine," Joe said, looking a little dazed. "How is he?"

"Not good his body is rejecting his transplanted heart. He's dying," Laura said, tears shining in her eyes.

Joe's mind flashed back to a little boy buried under so many blankets only his head was visible. The little boys face was a pale as the white pillow case he was lying on. His once lively sparkling green eyes were now dull and weak looking.

"Hi," Joe said timidly.

"Hi," Noah said, weakly.

"I brought you a present," Joe said, holding out the package in his hand.

"Thanks," Noah said. "I'm getting a new heart my old one doesn't work anymore."

Joe jumped when he felt something cold o the back of his neck. Blinking Joe realized somehow he had gotten to the kitchen table and was sitting in a chair.

"Are you back with us?" Frank asked, his voice full of concern.

"Are you ok baby? You really scared us," Laura said, running a hand through Joe's blond hair.

"I'm fine," Joe said, rubbing his hands over his face.

"Joe are you going to be ok seeing Noah tomorrow. If it's going to upset you I can call Linda back and tell her no to come," Laura said, concerned.

"No I'll be fine I skipped lunch today I'm just hungry a little snack and I be fine," Joe lied.

Joe was disturbing quite for the rest of the night.

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Joe had a hard time getting to sleep that night and when he did he had nightmares.

Out of concern for his brother Frank peeked into Joe's room later that night and found him in the thralls of a nightmare.

Joe was thrashing about and had become tangled in his sheets. Worried that Joe would fall out of the bed Frank walked to the bed and quietly called Joe's name.

"Joe, Joe wake up," Frank called, gently touching his arm.

The touch caused Joe to bolt up in bed gasping.

"Easy, easy it's just me," Frank said.

"Frank?" Joe asked, sleepily.

"Yeah it's me you were having a nightmare. Do you want to talk about it?" Frank asked.

"No," Joe said, lying back down. "Thanks for waking me."

"If you want to talk I'll be in my room," Frank said.

"Thanks goodnight Frank."

"Goodnight Joe," Frank said, leaving the room.

Lying in bed Joe's head was pounding from the nightmare. Deciding he wasn't go to get anymore sleep Joe went down stairs to take some Tylenol and fix himself a cup of hot chocolate.

Sitting at the table drinking his hot chocolate Joe was overcome by a wave of tiredness and laid his head on the table.

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Asleep on the table the next morning with a cup of cod hot chocolate at his elbow was how his parents and Frank found him the next morning.

"Joe son wake up," Fenton called gently shaking his shoulder.

"Uh" Joe said, groggily.

Blinking Joe sat up stiffly.

"Guess I feel asleep," Joe said, rubbing his eyes.

"How about a nice hot breakfast," Laura asked.

"I'll grab a piece of toast and some juice on the way out," Joe said, standing up.

"You need more than that to eat," Laura said.

"I'm just not hungry," Joe said, leaving the room.

Leaving the other three Hardy's to stare at each other with deep concern for the youngest member of their family.

Joe was quite and distracted all through school.

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Joe felt his stomach rise into his throat as Frank pulled the care up next to a unfamiliar SVU.

Putting his hand on Joe's leg Frank said. "It wasn't your fault."

"What wasn't my fault, Joe asked, distracted.

"The accident it wasn't you fault. It was the drunk driver who hit the pole," Frank said.

"It should have been me standing in that water not Noah," Joe said, his voice cracking.

"Don't say that," Frank said, sounding upset.

"No really it was Noah's turn to go get the water. But I had found some tadpoles in a shallow pool and I was messing with them so I said I'd go back and get some more water. So you see it should have been me."

"Oh Joe," Frank said, squeezing his leg. "You've never told me any of this before."

"What did you want me to say guess what Frank I'm a murderer. I was terrified that someone would find out. After Noah moved to the city and got a new heart I forced myself not to forget it. Now he's dying and..." Joe stopped, breathing hard and fast.

"Easy little brother just breathe slowly in and out nice and easy," Frank coached.

After a minute or to Joe got his breathing back under control.

Frank and Joe had been sitting in the car for so long that Laura stuck her head out of the door to see what was keeping them.

"Everything ok boys?" Laura asked.

Frank looked over at his pale and shaking brother before answering.

"We're coming," Frank said.

"Come on it want be as bad as you think," Frank said, reassuringly.

Slowly Joe got out of the car and Frank followed. Frank kept his hand supportively on Joes back as they walked.

When Joe walked into the living room any color Joe had in his face drained out. There buried under a pile of blankets slumped over on the couch a sleep was Noah. For one terrified moment Frank wasn't sure he was breathing. But then he saw the blankets rise and fall ever so slightly. Frank felt Joe take a step back.

"Boys it's so good to see you," Linda Lashly said, coming out of the kitchen and hugging Frank and Joe. "Don't be scared," Linda whispered in Joe's ear.

Frank gave Joe a little shove to get him moving.

A coughing fit had woken Noah up and now he was struggling to sit his self up.

"Hey guys," Noah said, smiling.

The smile was a shadow of it's former self. The boy before them was little more than a skeleton his skin was pale as death and the dark circles under his eyes stood out in dark contrast to his pale skin. His breathing come in short little gasps.

Joe and Frank sat down on the love seat across from him.

"How are you guys doing?" Noah asked, gasping between each word.

"We're good. How are …" Frank trailed off feeling uncomfortable.

"I'm alive so I guess I'm doing good," Noah answered, the unfinished question.

Each word Noah spoke seemed to sap what little strength he had left. His eyelids where drooping low and it seemed to take everything Noah had not to fall asleep. His breathing coming in short ragged gasps. Every time Noah would cough Frank was afraid he wouldn't catch his breath.

"I need to talk to Joe alone please," Noah said, wheezing.

Frank looked at Joe emotional he was holding it to gather with a very fine thread and Frank could tell it was getting thinner with each gasping breath Noah took. Frank really didn't want to leave him in the state he was in.

"It will be ok I promise," Noah said, looking at Frank.

Reluctantly Frank stood up and left the room.

Noah's head lolled on his shoulders and his eyes closed for a brief moment. The effort of talking so much obviously taking it's toll on his body.

"I'm sorry this is all my fault I should be the one dying not you," Joe blurted, after Frank left the room.

"Stop it," Noah gasped, sitting forward. He would have toppled off the couch if Joe hadn't grabbed him. "Not…your…fault. Please don't blame yourself. I've had almost nine good years," Noah said, and leaned back further into the cushions of the couch and closed his eyes.

Joe closed his eyes as tears poured out from underneath his eyelids.

"I'm sorry to interrupt boys but I was wandering if you boys wanted a snack?" Laura asked. "Joe what's wrong?" Laura asked, rushing across the room to him.

Joe shook his head and ran from the room.

"My fault," Noah breathed. "Tell mom I'm ready to go."

Frank picked Noah up from the couch and carried him out to the SUV.

"I have something for Joe," Noah said, pulling a wrinkled envelope from his pants pocket. " Tell Joe not to open it until after I'm gone."

Frank and Laura stood and waved goodbye as the Lashlys drove away.

"I'm going to check on Joe," Frank said, turning to go back into the house.

When Frank knocked on Joe's door he got no answer. Slowly Frank opened the bedroom door. Upon first glance around the room Frank didn't see Joe and felt a rush of panic grab at his heart. Then he remembered Joe's favorite hiding place as a child and walked over to the closet. Opening the door Frank found Joe sitting at the back of his closet crying like his heart was broken. Not knowing what else to do or say Frank sat down beside Joe and rubbed his back.

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The bright morning light came in through the window caused Joe to force his eyes his eyes open. Joe felt completely drained and hollow on the inside. Rolling over Joe looked at the digital clock sitting on his night stand. Ten- thirty why hadn't some one woke him up for school. Jumping out of bed Joe slipped on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans and then ran down stairs. Walking into the kitchen Joe found his mom dad and Frank sitting around the table nursing cups of coffee. Laura's eyes were red and swollen like she had been crying.

"Come sit down son," Fenton said.

"What's wrong?" Joe asked, pulling out his chair.

"I'm afraid we got some bad news this morning Noah passed away last night. It was peaceful he went in his sleep," Fenton said.

Joe felt his eyes swell up with tears which surprised Joe because he didn't think he had any tears left.

"Noah gave me something to give to you," Frank said, handing Joe the wrinkled envelope.

Joe looked at his name scratched almost eligibly across the front.

"Are you going to open it?" Frank asked.

"Can't," Joe said, sliding the letter over to Frank. "You open it."

Carefully Frank ripped the envelope open and pulled out a letter and a picture of two little boys with their arms thrown around each other smiling for the camera.

"This was taken …" Joe started, but his voice broke.

A smaller piece of paper fell out of the larger one. The words written across the small piece of paper said " Forgive yourself."

Finale Frank opened the larger piece of paper. Written on the paper were the words.

**When You Remember Me**

**When you remember me **

**Remember me with a smile on you face**

**Not tears in your eyes**

**When you remember me**

**Remember the good times**

**Not the bad**

**When you remember me**

**Let it be with a light heart**

**Not a heavy one**

**When you remember me**

**Let it be a happy thought**

**Not a sad one**

**If you can only remember me with tears **

**Then don't remember me.**


End file.
